St Ignatius of Loyola: A legacy for a changing world
Auguri! It is the feast day of St Ignatius of Loyola! As Jesuits, our thoughts naturally turn to the founder of the Society of Jesus every year on 31 July. We celebrate a spiritual pioneer whose vision continues to shape the Church and the Society of Jesus.
St Ignatius, the Basque soldier turned “soldier of Christ”, was a man transformed by grace and life’s experiences. His “cannonball moment” at Pamplona in 1521 was a major catalyst in the radical reorientation of the trajectory of his life. The profound experience of conversion during his convalescence inspired the Spiritual Exercises, which, till today, offer us a timeless roadmap for “finding God in all things”. His spirituality invites us all to be deeply engaged with the work of God in the world – a “contemplation in action”.
Today, the Society of Jesus (with its over 13,000 men—priests and brothers) and the whole Ignatian family continue to stay true to the Ignatian ideal. We are called to be “companions of Jesus”, to be “men and women for others”, ready to go wherever the needs are the greatest, in service of “the greater glory of God”.
Through the Society’s Universal Apostolic Preferences, we show the way to God through the Spiritual Exercises and discernment; we walk with the poor and outcasts of the world in a mission of reconciliation and justice; we accompany young people in the creation of a hope-filled future, and we collaborate in the care of our common home.
The world today presents challenges that St Ignatius himself could not have imagined: technological advancements, global inequalities, political polarizations, religious extremism, among others. Yet, the core of our Ignatian spirituality continues to offer a steady compass to the work of the Society of Jesus in the world. This charism translates into action in the daily lives of Jesuits: in the classrooms fostering critical thought and ethical leadership, in the parishes celebrating the sacraments and building up God’s people, in the social ministries working for a more just and compassionate world...
On this feast of St Ignatius of Loyola, we pray that the Society of Jesus and all who share our mission, may continue to grow in our work of promoting God’s reconciling love as we set the world ablaze with faith,justice and hope, especially in this Jubilee year of hope.
Prayer for Generosity
Lord, teach me to be generous.
Teach me to serve You as You deserve;
to give and not to count the cost;
to fight and not to heed the wounds;
to toil and not to seek for rest;
to labor and not to ask for any reward,
except to know that I am doing Your will.
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